Manila: More than a year after the enactment of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP) Act, Solid North Party-list Representative Ching Bernos has urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to step up its information campaign. The goal is to ensure that more working Filipinos can take advantage of the law designed to recognize their work experience and skills as equivalent to academic credits.
According to Philippines News Agency, Republic Act No. 12124, also known as the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program Act, is a significant education reform that acknowledges learning beyond traditional classroom settings. Bernos emphasized that many Filipinos remain unaware of the opportunity to obtain a college degree based on their work experience, training, and skills, and stressed the importance of communicating this opportunity to workers and other potential beneficiaries.
Signed into law on March 5, 2025, RA 12124 institutionalized the ETEEAP, which has been operational since 1996 under a CHED memorandum order. The program enables working Filipinos, including overseas workers, to earn a college degree by translating their relevant work experience, prior learning, and informal training into academic credits.
Bernos highlighted the need for CHED to initiate a sustained nationwide information campaign in collaboration with local government units, employers, labor organizations, overseas Filipino groups, and deputized higher education institutions to ensure the program reaches its intended audience. She noted that even the best laws are ineffective if people are not informed about the opportunities available to them.
Furthermore, Bernos called on CHED to continue deputizing more higher education institutions to offer the program, making it more accessible to workers. She also encouraged CHED to regularly publish data on the program's implementation, including the number of applicants, graduates, participating institutions, and other key metrics, to help policymakers assess the law's impact and identify areas for improvement.
The ETEEAP is available to Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines or abroad. Applicants must be at least 23 years old, have completed high school, and possess at least five years of work experience related to the degree they wish to pursue. Required documents include a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) birth certificate, secondary education credentials or official transcript of records, a work portfolio, certificates from relevant training programs or Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) national certificates, employer or industry recommendations, and other requirements set by the deputized higher education institution.
